—The El Cajon and Sweetwater valleys are the raisin centers of San Diego county. The former contains about four thousand acres of Muscat vines, the latter about five hundred acres. Magnificent-looking Muscat grapes are also grown within three miles of San Diego. Escondido is by many pronounced superior for raisin grapes to any of the other places; but El Cajon is the present center of the raisin industry, and is likely to remain so for years. The raisin-growing section of the two valleys lies from about fifteen to seventeen miles from the coast line, and at an altitude of from 450 to 500 feet. The arable land in El Cajon valley contains 50,000 acres, or perhaps less, and consists of the rolling bottom of the valley, but which can in no way be classed as bottom land. The land partakes more of the characteristics of mesa or upland, and extends on all sides, slightly undulating upon the sides of the hills. Lower hills and behind them, again, higher hills surround the valley, and the high peaks beyond the Cuyamaca Mountains reach 4,500 feet or more. None of these hills or mountains in sight are covered with timber of any kind, and even the valleys are without the usual sycamores. Only in the very narrow bottom of the creek is there a vegetation of willows and shrubbery.
Climate and Rainfall.
—The rainfall of the valley varies considerably. It has been known to be as little as six inches and as much as twenty, the average probably being about twelve inches, distributed as generally elsewhere in California,—during the winter months. In summer time it seldom rains,—perhaps a shower in two or three years. September is the warmest month, or at least the month with the greatest number of warm days. The highest temperature reached in the shade in El Cajon is 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and in Sweetwater valley 108, and the coldest in the winter twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit on the upper mesa land, while on the lower land, close to the river, the temperature falls low enough to kill orange trees, probably somewhere about eighteen degrees Fahrenheit. September is freer from fog than any other month. During the other summer months there is fog in the morning two days out of three. The fog, however, is warm and pleasant to all but consumptives, but, nevertheless, leaves behind a soaking dew on all vegetation, and is even heavy enough to moisten the dust on the roads. The moisture on this mesa land—by which is meant all the land between the hills, which are too steep to be plowed, and the actual river bottom lands—is near the surface. In the El Cajon and Sweetwater valleys, the water is found on this mesa at from eight to twenty feet, or at an average of from twelve to fifteen feet. On little hills or knobs in the valley the water is found at about the same depth. It is strange that with the water so near the surface no perennial vegetation of either shrubbery or trees should be found on this land. The grapevines will grow on it without irrigation; in fact none is used anywhere now, but no doubt it would prove profitable to irrigate somewhat, so as to increase the crops of grapes. Water can be had through the Cuyamaca flume, but has so far not been used. The vines do not grow after August 1st, and may stop growing sooner.
Soils.
—The soils of the district are of four kinds: First, reddish clay mixed with gravel, the color changing between light chocolate and deep reddish. This soil is considered by many the most desirable. Second, a steel or slate gray adobe with much gravel of a coarse nature. Third, black adobe with little gravel. Fourth, alluvial sandy soil, apparently consisting of decomposed granite mixed with much vegetable matter. This soil is coarse, of a dark steel-gray color, very easily worked; it is considered the best for raisins, but it contains streaks where they will not grow and prove profitable. The last-named soil goes gradually over into common alluvial soil of a sandy nature. The two last-named soils are found principally in the Sweetwater valley.
The Vines and the Vineyard.
—In planting, cuttings are generally used, not because they are most preferred, but because good rooted vines cannot be obtained. The distance to, and the difficulty of reaching, this district was formerly such that roots would suffer in transit and would rapidly dry, while cuttings could be had handy and fresh. The vines, originally planted eight by eight feet, have been given more distance of late, some vineyardists planting them eight by twelve feet, while others prefer twelve by twelve or ten by twelve feet. The varieties used are the Muscat of Alexandria only. This variety happened to be the one that was imported first from Riverside, I believe, and it was afterwards propagated by every one. The variety as grown in El Cajon is the type of Muscat of Alexandria with oblong berries, large clusters with loosely hanging berries and large strong stems. The shape of the vines is erect, with a few center shoots, strong and upright. The vines commence bearing the second year, and are said to pay expenses of caring for in the third year, but I think it would be safer to say in the fourth year.
As regards cultivation and plowing, many plow both ways and harrow and cultivate crosswise several times until the 1st of June, when, on account of the dryness of the soil, no more weeds start and no cultivation of any kind is needed. The large majority of the vineyards are splendidly kept, not a weed being seen anywhere for miles around. Winter pruning commences as soon as the leaves fall. In former years from five to nine spurs were left in pruning and two or three eyes on each spur, but it has been found profitable and judicious to leave more spurs, so as to take the sap in the spring, and now from twelve to fifteen spurs with two or three eyes each are left every winter. Spring or summer pruning has only been practiced the last two seasons, and being found very profitable is now adopted by everybody. The vines are not pinched, but headed well back as soon as the grapes are well set. This method has in this district the following advantages: It gives better shade to the bunches on account of the production of a strong second growth; it causes the bunches to fill better, and, finally, it leaves more room between the rows of the vines. I was told that any of these three advantages would warrant the system of summer pruning to be generally adopted. The valley has been unusually free from any insect pest, such as leaf-hoppers (Erythroneura comes) caterpillars, grasshoppers, etc., but suffers from mildew, not, however, to the extent that the presence of almost daily fogs would lead us to suppose. Sulphuring is now practiced to some extent, but not as much as it should be. The sulphur is applied with bellows as soon as the berries are the size of shot, but not before. Sulphuring for colure, or the dropping of the grapes when very small, is not practiced, nor was it ever suspected that it would help. Colure is quite common, much more so on sandy soil. Sunscald is frequent but not bad. I saw quite a number of grapes scalded on every vine, but not enough to warrant any special measures to be taken as a protection. The grapes have during this and last year ripened by the first days of September, but it is generally much later, or at about the 10th of September, when the vintage usually commences. The picking was, until last year, done by white labor, but the same was so very difficult to obtain that Chinese were then employed. They gave satisfaction to some, while to others not. Some of the principal growers are this year (1889) going to employ Chinese help at $1.25 per day, at which price they board themselves.
The Crop.
—The grapes are dried on redwood trays made of sawed redwood shingles, three-eighths of an inch thick. The trays are made two by three feet. The best growers are this year going to assort the grapes when putting them on the trays. This was never done before, but will be of great advantage. A tray will average eighteen pounds of fresh grapes, which will take about one month to dry,—never less than three weeks. There is but little second crop, generally none that can be saved. September is the warmest month, or else the grapes could not be dried. At a temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit, it was found that grapes scalded or cooked while on the trays. This is, however, very rarely the case. From ninety-five to one hundred degrees is considered the best temperature at which the best raisins are made. The sweatboxes used formerly were two by three feet and ten inches deep; but of late eight inches and six inches in depth is considered the best, on account of the facility with which they can be handled. As to packing, many advocate twenty-pound boxes, that are only four and one-half inches deep, contending that they will hold twenty pounds of loose raisins. Few Dehesas are put up, the general brands being three crown London layers, and three crown loose Muscats. Some are also put up in fancy paper boxes. This year the valley has two packing companies, who buy raisins in sweatboxes, and pay from four to five and a half cents per pound. The yield per acre is from two to three tons of green grapes, I should say this year nearer two than three tons. I saw, however, some that would average five tons per acre, but this land was favorably situated in a moister place than is generally found in Sweetwater valley, and the vines were yet growing on August 21st. I heard of much greater yields, so extraordinary indeed that they are not likely to return again. From five to seven tons to the acre is a really rare yield, even on the best land, where the water is within six or seven feet of the surface. This shows me conclusively that judicious irrigation would materially increase the crop, and greatly improve the uniform size of the berries. The profit on an acre of bearing Muscat vines is from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. The latter is the most any one realized, and thirty-five dollars is considered a good profit. The expense of running a vineyard is hard to ascertain, but those best informed told me that forty dollars per acre would be an average; this of course includes everything. The small amount of weeds and the absence of irrigation materially lessens the expenses of the El Cajon vineyards.